Outdoor Activity Center at Northeast School
My Eagle Scout project was the continuation of the creation of an outdoor activity center at North East School in Gahanna. This school is for children with developmental disabilities. It specializes in helping these children experience school the same way any other child gets to but with special attention to their needs.
As a new scout and then later in my Scouting career, I assisted two of the older scouts with their Eagle Scout projects at the same location. The first project was a brick pathway connecting the playground to the school courtyard. The second was a fountain in the courtyard. My project was the final addition to the outdoor activity center. I led my fellow scouts in the construction of a brick patio that encircled the fountain allowing the children to approach and interact with it.
To accomplish this project I had to plan, find materials for, and design the project. While the idea for the patio was not my own, I gathered all of the information on how to install a paver patio, the materials needed and the amount of time it would take. I went to a company called Lang Stone to get help figuring out what materials I would need and to learn how to install pavers. The customer support personnel were instrumental in getting this project completed, without their experience and instruction I would have had no clue how to do any of the work! This highlights one of the most important things a leader must understand: often you cannot rely only on yourself to accomplish your goals, other people have strengths and experience that can help you accomplish the goals of your team or group. This lesson presented itself again while I was working on the project, some of the adults had suggestions to help move the project forward in more practical ways than I thought of.
In total, I worked and planned for a total of 59 hours. I had 190 hours of help for a total of 249 hours spent planning and working on my Eagle Scout project. Looking back, I know that we did a lot of work and I had a lot of help but I did not realize the total time was so large! Much of the pride attributed to attaining Eagle is found in the project that the Scout completes. All Eagle Scouts must complete a project that has lasting benefits for the community, as you can imagine, it takes dedication and time to complete this goal and finally achieve the rank of Eagle Scout. I am very thankful for the support I had from my family, friends and troop, without them this project would not have been easy!
As a new scout and then later in my Scouting career, I assisted two of the older scouts with their Eagle Scout projects at the same location. The first project was a brick pathway connecting the playground to the school courtyard. The second was a fountain in the courtyard. My project was the final addition to the outdoor activity center. I led my fellow scouts in the construction of a brick patio that encircled the fountain allowing the children to approach and interact with it.
To accomplish this project I had to plan, find materials for, and design the project. While the idea for the patio was not my own, I gathered all of the information on how to install a paver patio, the materials needed and the amount of time it would take. I went to a company called Lang Stone to get help figuring out what materials I would need and to learn how to install pavers. The customer support personnel were instrumental in getting this project completed, without their experience and instruction I would have had no clue how to do any of the work! This highlights one of the most important things a leader must understand: often you cannot rely only on yourself to accomplish your goals, other people have strengths and experience that can help you accomplish the goals of your team or group. This lesson presented itself again while I was working on the project, some of the adults had suggestions to help move the project forward in more practical ways than I thought of.
In total, I worked and planned for a total of 59 hours. I had 190 hours of help for a total of 249 hours spent planning and working on my Eagle Scout project. Looking back, I know that we did a lot of work and I had a lot of help but I did not realize the total time was so large! Much of the pride attributed to attaining Eagle is found in the project that the Scout completes. All Eagle Scouts must complete a project that has lasting benefits for the community, as you can imagine, it takes dedication and time to complete this goal and finally achieve the rank of Eagle Scout. I am very thankful for the support I had from my family, friends and troop, without them this project would not have been easy!